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While Mini X-Raid driver Stephane Peterhansel extended his lead of the Dakar Rally, which is scheduled to finish on Sunday, while Hummer's Robby Gordon suffered the disappointment of losing what was set to be another stage victory.

The American was in front until the very last checkpoint, when he became stuck in one of the many sand dunes that litter the Atacama Desert in Chile.

“What can I say? it was another good special for us,” said Gordon. “We had them beat easily by 10 minutes coming into the final checkpoint. Unfortunately, the checkpoint was on top of a dune. When they stamped our card, I waited too long and got stuck. We aired down and managed to get out but lost eight minutes along with the stage win because of it. It's just how our rally has gone; we left a lot on the table this year.”

Gordon finished second on the stage to give him eighth top-three stage finishes in the rally.

Just 93 cars began the 392-kilometer road section from Fiambala and across the Andes mountain range into Chile via the San Francisco Pass. Thursday's path took drivers on a 319-kilometer special stage through the Atacama Desert to the overnight halt in Copiapo. It began at an altitude of over 2,300 meters above sea level and featured a variety of surfaces, including some treacherous sand dunes.

The eventual stage winner was Mini X-Raid driver Nani Roma, who passed the similar car of Leonid Novitsky for third overall. Now separated by just over three minutes, this is the closest battle that remains as the Dakar draws to a close. Peterhansel retains a lead of 50 minutes, while Toyota driver Giniel de Villiers is still second overall, both of them opting for caution over heroics.

It was a disastrous stage for his teammate Guerlain Chicherit, with the former skier losing plenty of time due to a transmission problem on his SMG buggy and dropping to eighth.

On Friday, drivers travel between Copiapo and the town of La Serena on Chile's Pacific Coast.